Finsbury A Cappella is an upper voices ensemble for sopranos and altos. It was founded by Hannah Brine and is conducted by Charles MacDougall.
Rehearsals are held at St John’s Highbury Vale School, Conewood Street, Islington N5 1DL from 6.15pm to 7.15pm on Tuesdays with a break for half term (see below for dates), working towards an end-of-term concert.
The aim of the choir is to sing intermediate to advanced repertoire with focussed work on vocal technique and musical detail. Entry is by audition – new members should apply and send a video using the information at this link.
Where?
St John’s Highbury Vale School, Conewood Street, Islington N5 1DL (nearest tube Arsenal)
When?
Tuesdays, 6.15pm to 7.15pm, arrive at 6.05pm.
Dates for the Summer term 2025:
April 29
May 6, 13, 20 (no rehearsal on 27 May)
June 10, 17, 24 (no rehearsal on 3 June)
Saturday 7 June, 12.30pm to 4pm at Holy Sepulchre, Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2DQ
July 1
End-of-term concert on Sunday 6 July at 5pm – All Hallow’s, Gospel Oak (setting up from 12.30pm, rehearsal 1.30pm to 4pm)
What’s included?
• 10 hours of choir rehearsals
• Sheet music/ lyrics for all songs (which we will supply)
Cost
£105
Questions and answers
Q: Who can join? The choir is open to anyone by audition but you should be aware that the repertoire will be reasonably challenging and rehearsals will be focussed on a lot of detailed work.
Q: I’m going to miss a couple of the sessions – is it still OK to come? Yes. So long as you practice at home, that is fine.
Q: Will there be a performance? Yes, there will be an end-of-term performance.
Q: How do I book? Please book by selecting your voice part and following the steps through the checkout process. You will be sent all the information you need by email (please keep an eye out in your ‘junk’ and ‘spam’ folders.)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
1) There are no refunds on membership fees.
2) Singers should be able to commit to attending 70% or more of rehearsals and are asked to sign the register at rehearsals each week.
3) We normally perform without music. Singers are asked to put in the appropriate amount of time outside of rehearsals to memorise words and learn your parts. There is usually a little bit of homework each week to revise a couple of songs to ensure we are making progress at each rehearsal.
4) Singers are required to ensure they read the weekly newsletter and communicate with us regarding any additional resources or learning.
5) When you sign up to join the choir, you agree to Hannah Brine using your data for the purposes of communicating with you about choir matters plus forthcoming events and news about the choir and Hannah’s activities. Your contact details will also be shared with the section leader so that they can send information about section-specific events (e.g. sectionals). If you do not wish to have your contact details shared for these purposes please email hannah@hannahbrine.co.uk.